Opposition stages walkout from ongoing Assam Assembly session

RUCKUS IN HOUSE OVER BOUNDARY ROW

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Alleging that the government has not taken the Opposition into confidence over the inter-State boundary row with Mizoram and Meghalaya, the Opposition legislators staged a walkout from the ongoing Assam Legislative Assembly session on Monday.

Before staging the walkout, Leader of Opposition & APCC (Assam Pradesh Congress Committee) member and MLA from Nazira Debabrata Saikia the House, "Why has the government not informed the ongoing session of the State Assembly about the details of the talks on the boundary issue with Meghalaya and Mizoram?"

Saikia further posed, "Why did the Assam government allow Meghalaya government to carry out drone survey of the disputed area at Basistha, Pilingkata and other areas?"

Immediately afterwards, Congress MLA Nurul Huda (from Rupahi Constituency) asked the Speaker of the House about the status of the 'Adjournment Motion' on the aggressive move of Meghalaya along the Basistha area.

In reply, Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimari said, "I've already received your notice on the 'Adjournment Motion'. However as supporting documents, you have appended only some reports of the print media. This not at all a sufficient ground to accept the motion.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika said, "The government is ready to inform the House about the inter-State boundary talks."

Hazarika added, "However, if we focus on the encroachments from across the boundaries during the earlier times, there will be a storm in the ranks of the Opposition!"

This single statement rubbed the Opposition on the wrong side. Raising slogans, they staged a walkout.

After the Opposition's walkout, Minister Hazarika informed the House, "The latest statistics on the encroachments from Mizoram side indicate 400 hectares in Cachar District; 377 hectares in Karimganj; and 800 hectares in Hailakandi across the Barak Valley."

He also pointed out, "However, personnel of the State Police and Forest Department cleared 200 hectares from encroachers on the Mizoram boundary.

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